Less than four short years into their career, death metal defenders of the old Gruesome (featuring current and former members of Exhumed, Possessed, Malevolent Creation, etc.) return with their second full-length sermon, Twisted Prayers. Twisted Prayers follows Death's paradigm shift during the Spiritual Healing era, incorporating more cerebral, melodic instrumentation with elements of thrash and thought-provoking, socially conscious lyrics.

Watch a lyric video for Gruesome’s new song “A Waste Of Life” below. Stream it via digital streaming services here.

Vocalist / guitarist Matt Harvey commented on the new song: “‘A Waste Of Life’ was a great opportunity to channel Chuck and vent some frustration in a constructive way - through making some good ol’ fashioned death metal. It’s great to move forward in the Death catalog and get some new ground to cover. As much fun as we had working with the raw and nasty stuff on Savage Land and Dimensions Of Horror, it’s great to challenge ourselves musically and thematically just like Chuck, James, Terry and Bill did on Spiritual Healing. Hopefully we do those guys justice and everyone has as much fun listening to the track as we did creating it.”  

Additionally, Gruesome will release a cover of Mantas’ “Legion Of Doom” as part of Decibel Magazine’s Flexi Series in the forthcoming June issue. An accompanying Flexi Disc featuring companion artwork and a cover of Possessed's “The Exorcist” will be available with the deluxe LP edition of the album at Relapse.com.  

Gruesome’s second studio album Twisted Prayers is due out June 1st on CD/LP/DLX LP/CS/Digital via Relapse Records. Physical packages are available via Relapse.com here and Digital Downloads / Streaming Services here.

Recorded with producer Jarrett Pritchard (Exhumed, 1349, Goatwhore) at New Constellation Studios in Orlando, FL, Twisted Prayers features Gruesome doing what they do best across eight songs and 40+ minutes of unholy hymns with lurid melodies and vulgar atmospheres. The band has once again teamed up with the legendary Ed Repka (Death, Atheist, Massacre) for the album’s blasphemous cover art in addition to legendary Death guitarist James Murphy (Death, Obituary, Testament) for a pair of special guest guitar solos. Bow your heads and worship at the altar of Gruesome.

Twisted Prayers tracklisting:

"Inhumane”
"A Waste Of Life”
"Fate”
"Lethal Legacy”
"Fatal Illusions”
"Crusade Of Brutality”
"At Death’s Door”
"Twisted Prayers”

“A Waste Of Life” lyric video:

Gruesome recently announced headline Summer Europe tour dates starting July 19th at Obscene Extreme 2018, traveling through 22 cities and ending August 12th in Kortrijk, Belgium. Includes additional festival appearances at Wacken Open Air, Free & Easy Festival, Stonehenge Festival and more. A full list of confirmed tour dates is available below.

July
19 - Trutnov, Czech Republic - Obscene Extreme 2018
20 - Warzawa, Poland - Hydrozagadka
21 - Chorzow, Poland - Red & Black
22 - Prague, Czech Republic - Modra Vopice
23 - Munich, Germany - Free & Easy Festival
24 - Budapest, Hungary - Durer Kert
25 - Tolmin, Slovenia - Metaldays
26 - Wien, Austria - Viper Room
27 - Ernsthausen, Germany - Master of the Unicorn
28 - Steenwijk, Netherlands - Stonehenge Festival
29 - Osnabruck, Germany - Bastard Club
30 - Wurzburg, Germany - Immerhin
31 - Volmerange-les-mines, France - Nomansland

August
1 - Mannheim, Germany - 7er Club
2 - Wacken, Germany - Wacken Open Air
3 - Jonkoping, Sweden - Klubb Dissonans
4 - Linkoping, Sweden - The Crypt
5 - Valby/Copenhagen, Denmark - Underwerket
7 - Desden, Germany - Chemiefabrik
8 - Berlin, Germany - Musik und Frieden
9 - Schlotheim, Germany - Partysan Open Air
10 - Frankfurt, Germany - Das Bett
11 - Oberhausen, Germany - Helvete
12 - Kortrijk, Belgium - Alcatraz Open Air

Gruesome are:

Matt Harvey ­- Guitar, Vocals
Daniel Gonzalez ­- Guitar
Robin Mazen ­- Bass
Gus Rios ­- Drums

(Band photo - Ryan Tamm, Cover art - Ed Repka)